Machine for assembling wire bails on broom cap handles



1, 1955 i s. c. TUTTLE ETAL 2,722,005

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING WIRE BAILS ON BROOM CAP HANDLES Filed Sept. 13,1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TORS SPENCER c. 707715- ATTORNEY CLYDE I'V-G/JRTHWA/Z JR.

Nov. 1, 1955 S. C. TUTTLE ET AL MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING WIRE BAILS ONBROOM CAP HANDLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N 1955 s. c. TUTTLE ET AL MACHINE FORASSEMBLING WIRE BAILS ON BROOM CAP HANDLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept.13, 1951 INVENTOR5 SPENCER C. TUTTLE CL YDE V- 6/31? 777 WH/7; Jr?

ATTORNEY Nov. 1,1955 5. c. TUTTLE ET AL 2,722,005

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING WIRE BAILS ON BROOM CAP HANDLES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Sept. 15, 1951 INVENTORS SHEA/CE? c. 707-745 CLYDE VV.679/?77/14/19/7, JR

ATTORNEY FOR ASSEMBLING WIRE BAILS ON BROOM CAP HANDLES ApplicationSeptember 13, 1951, Serial No. 246,497 8 Claims. 01. 1-1s7 MACHINE Thisinvention relates to broom handle caps and more particularly to amachine for automatically assembling wire bailson caps of the typecommonly used on the ends of the handles of brooms, whisk brooms, mopsetc.

One object of the invention is to provide a dependable machine forautomatically securing the ends of a preformed looped wire bail in the;opposite sides of a pierced broom handle cap.

Another object is to providea machine of the above nature includingmechanism for accurately prepositioning the caps prior to the closure ofthe wire bails therein;

A further object is to provide a machine of the above nature capable ofbeing easily adjusted for use in assembling various sizes of caps andbails.

A further object is to provide a machine of the .above nature includingmeans to prevent damage to the machinery in case ofaccidental jamming ofthe caps therein.

A further object is to provide a device of 'the above nature which willbe relatively simple in construction,

easy to install and manipulate, compact, and very efficient and durablein use. n

' With these and other objects in view, there has been il-. lustrated onthe accompanying drawings one form in which the invention mayconveniently be embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

Fig. '1 illustrates a side elevational view of proved broom capassembling machine.

Fig. 2 is a front end view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line of Fig. 3, illustratingon an enlarged scale, with portions broken away, the cap guide andalignment mechanism.

the

Fig.5 is a horizontal enlarged cross-sectional View,

taken along the line 55 of Fig. 4. p

Fig. 6is a horizontal enlarged crosss'ectional'view, taken along theline 66 of Fig. 4. i r

Fig. 7 is a horizontal enlarged crossjasectional view, taken along theline 7-7 of Fig. 4. a

Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating details of the bailpickup and slide mechanism.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective "view illustrating how a bail iscarried forwardly prior to its being bent into locking engagement withits cap.

Fig. 10 is a view, similar to Fig. 9, but showing the bail after it hasbeen secured within its cap.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view illustrating how anassembled bail and cap unit is upset and dropped into thechute uponwithdrawal of the bail pickup slide mechanism at the conclusion of itsoperating cycle.

Attention is called to our copending'divisional application SerialNumber 306,838, filed August 28, 1952, claiming the mechanism forfeeding the bails to the broom cap assembling apparatus. i I

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denotecorresponding par-ts throughout' the proved cap-assembling machine, thesame comprising a supporting frame 11 having integrally formed therewitha pair of front legs 12, 13 and a pair of rear legs 14, 15.

The frame 11 has fixed at the top thereof a horizontal top plate 16.

An electric motor 17 is provided for operating the machine, the samebeing mounted on a support shelf 18 fixed between a pair of angle ironbrackets 19, 20, mounted respectively between the pairs of legs 12, 14and 13, 15.

A pair of drive shaft bearings 21, 22 are mounted against the frame legs12, 13, respectively, for rotatably supporting a relatively heavy driveshaft 23. A driven pulley 24 is fixed on the drive shaft 23, the samebeing positioned in horizontal alignment with a small drive pulley 25mounted upon the output shaft of the motor 17. A belt 26 interconnectsthe driven pulley 24 with the drive pulley 25 to rotate the drive shaft23.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the drive shaft 23 extendsthrough the bearing 21 and the frame leg 12, and at itsoutwardly-extending end is furnished with a heavy fly wheel drive pulley27 which is in alignment with a larger driven pulley 29 fixed on a shaft30- journaled in a bearing 31 secured to the inside of the frame leg 14,and also journaled in a bearing 32 bracketed on a horizontally-extendingsupport member 33 secured to the inner sides of the end legs 14, 15.

The heavy drive shaft 23 has fixed thereon a drive pulley 34, positionedbetween the bearing 21 and the driven pulley 24 which is operativelyinterconnected by means of around belt 35 with a larger pulley 36 fixedon ashaft 37 at right angles to the shaft 23 and journaled in a bearingbracket 38 secured to the top plate 16 at the front edge thereof. Adrive pulley 39, smaller in diameter than the pulley 36, is also securedon theshaft 37 and serves to drive the cap guide into the alignmentmechanism to be described later. n

The pulleys 34, 36 are relatively offset, and a belt guide pulleyassembly 40 is employed to properly direct the path of the belt 35interconnecting said pulleys. The belt guide. pulley assembly 40comprises a substantially rectangular vertical support plate 41 mountedagainst several views, the numeral 10 indicates generally the im-* thefront end of the frame 11, as by bolts.

, Journaled between the sides of a rectangular cut-out, in the lowerportion of the support plate 41, is a short shaft 44 on which is mounteda pair of spaced-apart guide rollers 42, 43, the shaft 44 being parallelto the shaft 23.

A second pair of guide rollers 45, 46 are rotatably mounted on stubshafts extending at right angles from the upper portion of the supportplate 41, the axes of rotation of said rollers 45, 46 being parallelwith the axis of rotation of the pulley 36.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the belt 35 passes overthe guide roller 43, upwardly over the guide roller 46, thence aroundthepulley 36, over the guide rollers 45 and 42 thence around the lower endof the pulley. 34 to complete the drive connection between the pulleys34 and 36.

The shaft 30, extending through the bearings 31, 32, has fixed on theinner end thereof a disk wheel 47 provided with an outwardly-extendingstud pin 48 fixed within the outer face thereof.

Cooperative with the stud pin 48 is a box cam mechanism 49 fixed againstthe side of an upstanding rocker arm 50, swingably mounted at its lowerend on a pivot pin 51 fixed between a pair of vertical brackets 52, 53and secured against a vertical mounting plate 54 fixed between the rearlegs 14, 15 at the lower ends thereof.

The box cam mechanism 49 comprises a U-shaped member 55 (Fig. 3)surrounding the outer edge of the rocker arm 50 to provide an innerbearing surface for the stud pin 48-said U-shaped member 55 being heldin place by a pair of upper and lower bolts 56, 57 respectively. Thebolts 56, 57 are embraced by spacers 58, 59 holding an outer bearingplate 60 in parallel spaced alignment with the bearing surface of theU-shaped member 55. It will be understood that as the wheel 47 rotates,the stud pin 48 will move up and down between thebearing surfaces of thebox cam mechanism 49, causing the upper end of the swinging rockerarm.50 to reciprocate within a longitudinal slot 61 in the top plate16'through which it extends.

The upper end of the rocker arm 50 is operatively connected to the bailpickup slide mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 62 (Figs. 9and which comprises a longitudinally-grooved, elongated slide base 63fixed against the top plate 16 forwardly of and in alignment with theslot 61 of said plate. Within a grooved base 63 is slidably disposed arabbeted slide member 64 having a pair of opposed stepped portions 65,66 of reduced thickness and with the upper surfaces thereof flush withthe upper edge surfaces of the slide base 63.

In order to guide the slide member 64 within the base 63, a pair oflongitudinal upper clamp strips 67, 68 are provided, such strips beingfixed in position as by machine'screws 69 against the upper side edgesof the base 63 and overlying the stepped portions 65, 66 of saidrabbeted slide member 64.

Resiliently connected to the front end of the slide member 64 andslidable therewith in the slide base 63 is a bail carrying slide block70 (Figs. 8, 9, 10), which is provided with a pair ofrearwardly-extending parallel connector rods 71, 72 having outturnedends disposed in L- shaped grooves 73, 74 at the forward end of theslide member 64. Coil springs 75, 76 embrace the connector rods 71, 72,respectively. The grooves 73, 74 are of such size as to allowconsiderable longitudinal movement of the bail-carrying slide member 70with respect to the slide block'64 against the resiliency of the springs75, 76.

A pair of longitudinal bail-closer blades 77, 78 are fixed in a pair ofrecesses 79, 80 located in said slide member 64said blades being heldsecurely in place therein by one or more transverse clamps 81 (Figs. 3,9), fixed to said slide member, as by machine screws 82. The forwardinner edges of the blades 77, 78 are inclined outwardly as indicated bythe numerals 83, 84, and lie within grooves formed by recesses in thebail-carrying slide block 70 similar to those of the slide member 64. Itwill be noted that the blades 77, 78 are loosely attached to thebail-carrying slide block 70, whereby a relative longitudinal movementof the slide block 70 with respect to said blades is permitted.

Referring to Figs. 1, 3, 8, and 11, the numeral 85 indicates generally afeeding rack for the preformed'V-shaped looped wire bails B. The rack 85includes a vertical bar 86, substantially triangular in cross-section,fixed to the top plate 16 in any convenient manner, as by the inclinedbrackets 87 (Figs. 1 and 3). The lower end of the bail bar 86 extends toa position just above the top surfaces of the blades 77, 78 and thebail-carrying slide block 70, the latter being reduced in thickness atits sides and forward end, as indicated by the numeral 88 (Figs. 9, 10,and 11), by an amount equal to the thickness of the wire of thepreformed bails B.

Thus, referring to Fig. 8, it will be evident that when thebail-carrying slide block 70 is withdrawn to a position where the blades77, 78 and the upper surface of said bailcarrying slide member are clearof the lowermost bail B, the latter will drop onto the forward end ofsaid block 70. Subsequently, when the bail-carrying slide block 70 ismoved forwardly, it will carry with it the lowermost bail B.

The forward end of the block 70 is provided with a cutout curved recess89 for clearance about a cap during the assembly thereon, and isprovided with an upstanding withdrawal pin 90 centrally located justforward'of the position of the inner rear end of a bail B.

The upper end of the bail rack bar 86 is preferably, provided with anupwardly-extending pair of locating pins 91 (Figs. 1 and 3), wherebyother similar rack bars loaded with wire bails may be aligned andconnected therewith when loading the machine with bails.

Adjustable means is provided for operatively interconnecting the rockerarm 50 with the slide member 64 of the bail pickup and slide mechanism62. To this end, there is secured to the rear end of the slide member64,

as by the bolts 92 (Fig. 1), a rearwardly-extending bracket 93, carryinga hardened roller 94 in the outermost end thereof, said roller being inhorizontal alignment 'with the rocker arm 50.

The rocker arm 50 is provided near its upper end with a U-shaped shoemember 95 (Figs. 1 and 2), embracing the inner edge of said rocker arm50 and pivoted thereto as by the pivot pin 96. The shoe member 95 isdisposed between the rocker arm 50 and the cylindrical face of theroller 94, and the distance between the upper end of said shoe memberand the rocker arm may be adjusted by means of a headed screw 97 passingedgewise into said rocker arm and abutting the inside of the shoe member95.

The upper end of the rocker arm 50 is apertured at 97a to retain one endof each of a pair of connector tension springs98, 99 (Figs. 1 and 3),the forward ends of said springs being connected to a bracket 100 fixedto the topsurface. of the slide member 64 as by machine screws 101.Thesprings 98, 99 serve to maintain the roller 94 in contact with therocker arm shoe member 95, and said shoe member 95 is maintained incontact with the inner endv of its adjustment screw 97, whereby theswinging motion of the rocker arm 50 will cause the slide member 64 tobe-reciprocated longitudinally in the slide base 63.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the numeral 102 indicates generallythe cap guide and alignment mechanism for prepositioning the preformedcaps C prior to the automatic attachment of the preformed bails Bthereon.

The cap guide and alignment mechanism 102 comprises an upright,elongated, rectangular back plate'103, fixed as by an angle bracket 104(see Fig. 11'), and machine screws 105, 106 to the top of a cap seatblock 107, which, in turn, is secured to the horizontal top plate 16.The back plate 103 forms the rearsurface of a vertical raceway,indicated by the numeral 108 (see Fig. 4), within which the caps C movedownwardly by gravity, one by one, into position for the assembly of thebails B thereon. I

The upper portion of the raceway 108 comprises a pair of side rails 109,110 and a central offset front rail 111, said side rails being held inspaced relation with respect to the back plate 103 by bolts 112 andspacers 113 (see Fig. 5). The front rail 111 is centrally fixed to aplurality of cross-brackets 114 (only one being shown), secured on thebolts 112 and spaced forwardly of the side rails 109, 110 by spacers115.

It will be understood that the caps C willbe fed into the raceway 108automatically from any standard type of rotating hopper (not shown)commonly employed in the art.

The preformed caps C are provided with opposed side apertures 116 (seeFigs. 4'and 6), into which the ends of the bails B are to be forced. Forthis purpose in order that a bail, horizontally disposed on the bailcarrying slide block 70, may be assembled to a cap C, it is necessarythat said cap must be positioned so that its apertures are horizontallyaligned. To this end provision is made of a pair of aligningwheels 117,118. disposed below the ends of the side rails 109, 110 for rotation ina common vertical plane. The edges of the wheels 117, 118- are beveledand so spaced to allow'a cap C to drop through to the lower portion ofthe raceway. 108,

only when theapertures. 116-are.in horizontal alignment,

i.; e.-,-when-the smaller diameter of the cap'coincident with? thecommor'raxis of the apertures-1 16 is inhorizonta'l position. j

, Referring! now to Fig: 6'itwill be seen that the'whe'ls 117,;1-18 arefixed toshafts119}-120;-journaled in a'pair of tiXed beari-ng'members121,-

secured against the rear surface of the backplate 103; as by machinescrews 12 3. The outer ends of the shafts 119,, 120 are provided withgrooved pulle'ys 124; 125; respectively, which are intercpnnectedby abelt-126 with the drive pulley 39, previously described (Figs. 1 and 2).It will be-seen" that the pulleys 124, 125 will both be rotated in aclockwise direction,-as viewedin Fig. 4; causing the wheels 117, 118 toturn the cap C resting against said wheels until the apertures 116areifilroi izohtal alignment, whereupon said cap G will drop down bygravity into the lowe'r'p'oition of theraeeway 108.

. The lowerportion of the raceway 108 is similar to theupperportionexcept that it comprises side r'ails1=27, 128 which-are closer togetherand spacedapart b'y adistance equal-to the smaller diameter otthe capsQ-wlie'reby said caps will be kept in proper alignment for receiving thebails B when they reach the bottom of said raceway 108.

The end of the front rail 111 terminates at a sufiicient distance abovethe top surface of the bail-carrying slide member 70 to allow clearancefor outward withdrawal of the lowermost cap C upon operation of themachine, hereinbelow detailed.

The vertical side rails 127, 128 are provided with a adjusted laterallywith respect to their securing bolts 131,.

132, whenever desired to accommodate caps of different sizes.

The cap seat block 107 is semi-cylindrically recessed, as indicated bythe numeral 133 (Figs. 4 and 9), to provide a seat within which thelowermost cap C will rest while the bail B is being attached thereto.

Provision is also made of adjustable means comprising a pair ofhorizontal slide plates 134, 135 slidable within transverse alignedslots 136, 137 (Figs. 4, 7, 9, and within the cap seat block 107, tomore accurately hold the lowermost cap C on its seat 133. The slideplates 134, 135 are urged inwardly by a pair of tension springs 138,139, connected to said slides and to a pair of outwardly extending pins140, 141 (Fig. 4), located at the outer ends of said slide plates 134,135, respectively.

A pair of adjustment screws 143, 144 (Fig. 4) having cylindrical knurledheads projecting into notches 145, 146 of the slide plates 134, 135 arethreaded into the ends of the cap seat block 107, said screws permittingmanual adjustment of the space between the inner ends of said slideplates for snugly admitting and holding the lowermost cap C.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, it will be seen that the lowermost ends ofthe vertical side rails 127, 128 are slidably fitted into slots in theupper portion of the cap seat block 107, and that said rails are invertical alignment with the slide plates 134, 135.

The inner ends of the slide plates 134, 135 and the cap seat block 107are provided with aligned opposed horizontal slots 147, 148 (Fig. 9),for admission of the inturned ends of the preformed wire bails B, aswill be understood from the following description of the operation ofthe machine.

In order to upset and eject the assembled caps C and bail B, provisionis made of means comprising a transverse rod 149 (Figs. 10 and 11), heldin the path of the rearward motion of said assembled cap and bail, as bythe angle bracket 150.

Referring to Fig. 11, it will be seen that the assembled cap will beautomatically struck and upset by the rod 149 so that it will dropthrough an opening 151 in the slide base 63 and an opening 152 in thetop plate 16 into a guide chute 153 fixed against the underside of theslide base 63'a1id the' cap seat' Bloc'k' 107' as by machine screws154'.

Obefariii As hereinabove explained, the slide member ,64 will becontinuously reciprocated in: accordance with the rocking motion of; therocker arm 50. In the rearrnost position of the slide, member 64;a-preformed' V-shaped looped wire" bail: B will drop from the triangularbar 85 and sat-itself upon the bail-carrying slide member 70,- asillustrated in Fig. 8. The, slide member 64, together withitsresiliently connected bail-carrying -slide block 7 0, willslide'forwardly until the forward end of said bail-carrying slide member.70 abuts thetinne'r endiof the cap seat block 107.

Continued forwardslidingm'otion'ofthe slide member. 64'

against,,the tension of the coil springs 76'. will cause thebail-closing blades 77, 78 to slide inwardly over the bail-carryingslide block 70 and' engage the outer opposed sides of the bail; Thiswill force'the bail forwardlyso that its apex will engage thewithdrawalpin'90 (=Figst 9' andI'O) At'this point in the operationofthemachine, the ends" of the bail B being operated upon will be disposed inthe pair of slots 147, 148, in alignment with the apertures 116 of a capC prepositioned in the recess 133 (Figs. 9 and 10).

As the bail closer blades 77, 78 continue to move forwardly, theopposite sides of the bail will be moved inwardly to force the endsthereof into the cap apertures 116, thereby completing the assemblyoperation. Having now completed its forward stroke, the bail-pickupslide mechanism 62 will commence its backward stroke. The rearwardmotion of the bail-carrying slide block 70 will, by means of itswithdrawal pin 90, pull out the assembled cap C from the cap seat block107 and permit it to be ejected by the horizontal rod 149 and to allowthe next cap to fall into place for assembly of the bail B thereto.

Having completed an assembly operation, the bail pickup slide mechanism62 will continue to travel rearwardly to withdraw another bail B,whereupon the above-described cycle will be repeated indefinitely.

It is to be understood that while the machine is in op-' eration thealigning wheels 117, 118 will rotate continuously and will furnish asupply of horizontally aligned caps C as rapidly as needed.

One advantage of the improved cap-bail assembly machine hereindisclosed, is that if the bail pickup slide mechanism shouldaccidentally jam, the resiliency of the rollerrocker connector springs98, 99 will prevent the possibility of damage to the machine.

Another advantage of the improved cap assembly machine herein disclosedis that it may readily be adjusted for the assembly of caps and bails ofditferent sizes.

While there has been disclosed in this specification one form in whichthe invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that this form isshown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention isnot to be limited to the specific disclosure but may be modified andembodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. Inshort, the invention includes all the modifications and embodimentscoming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, andfor which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine for assembling pre-formed looped wire bails havinginturned ends to hollow broom handle caps having apertures on oppositesides thereof, a block having a concave seat to hold said caps withtheir apertures in horizontal alignment, a bail pick-up slide having atop recess for holding a single bail and moving it so that the ends ofsaid bail will be in alignment with the apertures in said cap, saidslide carrying an upstanding pin for successively withdrawing bails froma vertical stack located above said slide, said slide having a pair ofbailclosing blades with inclined diverging ends, means to advance saidslide to cause said diverging ends to force the inturned ends of saidbail to move into said cap apertures, and means to cause said withdrawalpin to extract said assembled cap and hail from its seat in said blockon the reverse movement on said slide.

. 2. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which provision is made onthe base of said machine of a horizontal rod in the path of theassembled cap and bail to eject it downwardly into a receptacle locatedtherebelow.

3. The'invention as defined in claim 1, in which a motoroperated rockerarm is provided for continuously reciprocating said slide, andadjustable spring means are provided for connecting the end of saidrocker arm to said slide.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3, in which said rocker arm iscontinuously vibrated by means of a motor operated rotating disc havinga stud for engaging said rocker arm.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4, in which said stud is embracedby a box cam secured to an intermediate portion of said rocker arm.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which said shaped to freelyembrace the inturned ends of the pre-- formed wire bails.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,154,071 Gorman Apr. 11, 1939 2,167,452 Hanset July 25, 1939 2,198,740Redman Apr. 30, 1940 2,242,502 Bangs May 20, 1941 2,255,127 Newig Sept.9, 1941 2,255,625

Ortegren Sept. 9, 1941

